Mobile Phones - Do They Have a Place in Schools?

 In April, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson proposed that mobiles phones should be banned from schools — they should not be “used or seen during the school day”. However, he favoured schools making their own policies on the subject. In practice, many schools do have a blanket ban on mobile phones, and some educationalists support this. A number disagree, though, and the issue isn't as straightforward as it's sometimes portrayed.

 The Drawbacks of Mobile Phones in School

Williamson's explanation for the timing of his statement was that lockdown has damaged children's "discipline and order", making it easier for mobile phones to distract them in school. Certainly, if students are constantly checking messages, social media or games on their phones in class, that would be an obvious distraction, but it might seem at first sight that allowing them during breaks would be reasonable. However, advocates of a ban point out that mobile phones provide the main channel for the current epidemic of cyberbullying. In addition, they claim that social media can be addictive and bad for children's mental health.

 Much of the thinking behind banning mobile phones at school, however, appears to be a feeling that screens, and mobile phones in particular, take up an unhealthy proportion of children's attention. "It’s now time to put the screens away, especially mobile phones," as Williamson puts it.

The Advantages of Mobile Phones in Schools

 While all these issues are valid, there's another side to the argument. Like it or not, technology such as the smartphone is going to be part of the world today's students will need to live in, and many experts suggest it would be better to teach them to use it responsibly, rather than creating a confrontation.

 Like other technology, a smartphone can be used positively in various ways during classes. These range from making notes, such as what homework has been given, to using the educational apps that are increasingly vital in education. Not all schools can afford dedicated computer suites, and in any case these wouldn't always be available to the students when needed... There are also safety issues. Many parents buy their children mobile phones specifically so that they can call for help if necessary when out and about. While this shouldn't be necessary in school, a ban on bringing phones into school would mean the students wouldn't have them available while travelling to and from school or during out-of-school activities.

 Perhaps even more seriously, many students with ongoing health conditions rely on smartphone apps to monitor their health. For instance, students with diabetes often use an app to keep track of their blood sugar levels during the day. Even if a school were to ban phones, an exception would have to be made for these cases, otherwise it could amount to discrimination.

Should Mobile Phones Be Allowed in Schools?

 There's no doubt that the concerns raised by Williamson and other advocates of a ban are genuine, but banning phones outright would ignore both the educational opportunities and the safety concerns. In the end, since today's children are going to need to learn to live in a world of smartphones and other joined-up technology, perhaps teaching them how to do so responsibly would be more productive than a ban. There certainly need to be rules and guidelines about the use of mobile phones in school, though. These may, for instance, include a ban on using anything but educational apps outside certain specified times, as well as restrictions on certain uses on the school premises. This could include photography, for example, which can be a major driver of cyberbullying.

 In the end, the message is that, as with many aspects of education, the issue of mobile phones in school isn't as straightforward as it's often drawn. Register with TutorExtra for more discussions of complex educational topics.